I am not sure what sport I like watching my kids play most but the start of any new season is always fun. I just love watching them play sports, all sports!
It's Samantha's 3rd year playing basketball. She's in the 1st/2nd grade girls league at the Page Youth Center again and this year, being a 2nd grader, it definitely brings on a whole new level of confidence and playing ability. Next year, she will be the "little guy" again in the 3rd/4th division so everyone gets to have their time to shine. ;)
The Page does evaluations and holds a draft to form teams. Last year, I am not sure coaches were holding their breath to get Sam on their team which benefited us because we got our favorite Coach, Coach Jules (and co-coach Tyler!) who scooped up all the first graders and formed a team of friends/classmates. This year, it was a little more dicey. If you show any skill at all in the evaluations, especially a second grader, you are ranked higher and therefore you are not guaranteed to be with a coach you know or friends for that matter.
We got very, VERY lucky and were drafted by the skin of our teeth by Coach Jules (and Tyler!) again but some friends/classmates were drafted elsewhere. I am fully prepared that next year's team will look differently for us but I am very VERY thankful we get one more year with Jules. And who knows, maybe we will get lucky again next year, maybe?
Samantha was probably one of the tallest girls there measuring in at 4 foot 5.
This is her last year measuring at 4 foot 3.
The girls (and Thatcher) warmed up before the evaluations began.
They line them up and then split them up into groups to be evaluated. My favorite part about this night was our little friend, Maggie (in the blue shirt), next to Samantha. She is a first grader and it is her first year playing at the Page. She was hysterical. She was talking a mile a minute to Samantha the entire evaluation. She even showed Samantha how she can do a backbend in the middle of the evaluations. I'm bummed we didn't end up on the same team because she is pure entertainment.
One of the tests is to individually dribble to the basket and shoot three times. Samantha was okay, not great, not horrible.
I actually think she may have done better last year.
First practice for the KNICKS!
Gym practice.
Thatcher is always tagging along. At least this time he got to bring a friend, Lila.
Thatcher tried his hardest to get Lila to play basketball with him on the other court but she kept saying, "Basketball isn't for girls." When I dropped her off at home later I told her mom to sign her up for basketball ;)
More practice and learning to be aggressive. I am just as proud of a steal as I am with a basket.
And FINALLY, the first game!
Unfortunately, the other team didn't have enough players which resulted in a forfeit. The Page did end up putting 20 minutes on the clock and we lent the other team players. Any baskets scored by the Knicks on either side counted towards our team so we still had a game, sort-off.
As you can see, the game started off with Samantha getting a basketball to the head but she turned it around and made the first basket of the game. ;)
We had a fun night out with the Knicks team to see the UCSB vs. USC basketball game last month. Samantha. Rio and Charlotte are doubling up with sports right now and doing club soccer team training so we went from soccer to dinner and THEN to the game.
UCSB lost but the girls still had a fun time staying out way too late on a school night.
Sammy and Charlotte got called down to do the slam dunk contest along with our friends TJ and Cassian Deakyne (Maggie's brothers). The Deakyne's don't miss any Gaucho sport AND they know how to win a slam dunk contest. They put the rest of the participants to shame. Sorry Samantha and Charlotte, you had no chance ;)
Game 2 and not only is Todd the time/scorekeeper BUT the other team showed up! Yay!!!!!!
Samantha has gotten SO aggressive this year. She will wrestle the ball out of the opponents hands or at least try. So proud!
Sam's highlight reel.
Pep talk from Coach Jules
And guess who else is eligible to play this year?!?!
Thatcher is making his basketball debut at the YMCA. At the Y, it is less competitive and the referees are VERY lenient on calling fouls and traveling. It's co-ed too so it's fun to see the little girls keep up with the boys.
Just like Sammy did when she was in kindergarten!
Now this guy is ready to tear it up on the court. They just had their first practice and games do not start for another week. We don't even have a team name yet!
Thatcher's first practice.
And just yesterday, the Knicks had their 3rd game and 3rd win so we had a celebratory lunch at Mesa Cafe. I didn't video any of the game and missed Samantha's best basket of all time. She dribbled down the court, did a 360 degree spin and then made a basket. Three cheers for that spin!!!
Here's how the season is shaping up so far:
Game
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Thatcher
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Samantha
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1
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W-2
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2
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W-4
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3
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W-4
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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3 wins, 10 points
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